Latest news with #Eliyass
News.com.au
26-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
2025 WJ McKell Cup: Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott flex French connection with Elamaz
French import Elamaz can emulate his compatriot Eliyass by making a winning Australian debut in a stakes race at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Elamaz is the $4 favourite for the Listed $200,000 WJ McKell Cup (2000m). Elamaz is raced in similar interests to stablemate Eliyaas, who also came from France with a record of six wins and two second placings from eight starts before winning the Lord Mayor's Cup over the Rosehill 2000m course at his Australian debut 12 months ago. Eliyass trained on to win the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes, defeating Ceolwulf, then ran third to champion mare Via Sistina in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes. Bott said there are obvious similarities between Eliyass and new stable recruit Elamaz who had seven races in France, finishing top two every start with four wins, all at 1600m. 'Elamaz was sourced by the same agent, Louis Le Metayer, on the back of Eliyaas last year,'' Bott said. 'Louis knows the form well over there, he has all the contacts and knows all the players. This horse, Elamaz, profile-wise in terms of his race record is very consistent, just like Eliyass.'' Bott said Elamaz had had a thorough grounding for his Australian debut with three barriers trials in which he has shown obvious talent each time. Elamaz (Ire) (Gleneagles (Ire) - Emiyna (Usa) par Marias mon (Usa)) @mickaelbarzalon @GraffardRacing @AgaKhanStuds #Elamaz Prix Albanilla (St cloud - 1600m) — French and International Horse Racing (@Vincenzo0612) May 1, 2024 • 'The majority of his races have been over a mile so we are stretching him out to this distance for the first time and he is first-up so we are learning about him on Saturday,'' Bott said. 'But he has had a good grounding with the three trials, he's a nice, progressive horse and is a very interesting one to watch on Saturday.'' Waterhouse is hoping for her fifth win in the McKell Cup after previous wins with Grand Connection (1995), We're Dancing (2002), Ecuador (2016), Hush Writer (2019) and Zoumon (2023), the last two wins in partnership with Bott. The trainers also have Townsend ($7.50) lining up in the McKell Cup and believe he is set to improve after three runs from a spell. 'Townsend showed promise last preparation, particularly over this trip,'' Bott said. 'He hasn't quite had things go his way this time in but the blinkers are coming off and this looks a nice race for him to capitalise and bounce back to his best.''
The Australian
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
Eliyass aiming to turn a 20-length defeat into Doomben Cup success
How to turn a last-start 20-length defeat into a Group 1 triumph? It will be hard, but potentially not quite as hard as you might think. Eliyass, the French-bred import that Gai Waterhouse last year declared was her most talented stayer since 2013 Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente, was beaten so far in the Hollindale Stakes he would have needed binoculars to see the winner Antino. READ: 'No two-horse race': Gollan insists chances aplenty in Doomben Cup But when a post-race veterinary examination revealed that Eliyass was coughing, stewards ordered an endoscopic examination. Nothing significant was found and, after a track gallop at Doomben on Tuesday, co-trainer Adrian Bott gave him the all clear to take his place in Saturday's Group 1 Doomben Cup. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Bott has seen big form reversals due to track conditions before and said the Hollindale was a total forget run, with Eliyass not enjoying the heavy conditions and kickback on the day. 'I think in situations where you get those kind of conditions like we saw on the Gold Coast, you do have to be very forgiving,' Bott said. 'He was getting a lot of kickback, racing in among the pack, stuff was coming back at him. 'It wasn't an ideal spot for him to be in, we will just put what happened first-up down to the track. 'I have seen big form reversals before and all we can go on is what the horse has been showing us since. 'He worked well on Tuesday morning and all is in order. 'It is probably not ideal in that it would be better for the horse to have taken some confidence from his last run. 'But the horse hasn't taken any harm from the run.' READ: Heathcote poised to spring upset with luckless $2.3m earner Eliyass will take his place in Saturday's Doomben Cup Picture: Getty Images Bookmakers are certainly being forgiving and have high respect for Eliyass which is rated a $9 chance in the Doomben Cup where he will take on fancied pair Pride Of Jenni and Antino which sit atop of betting. READ: TAB's strategic move throws early markets into a frenzy Eliyass went on a terrific winning run when he kicked off racing Down Under last year before he tired at the end of his spring campaign and did not fire in his last two runs, including in the Group 1 Champions Stakes at Flemington in November. He has drawn the widest barrier (13) in the Doomben Cup and jockey Tim Clark will have a pivotal decision to make after the gates open. Bott expects him to be in the first few as Pride Of Jenni scoots away with her freewheeling style. 'Eliyass is a horse who can generally be ridden handy to the speed anyway,' Bott said. 'Potentially, he could be one of the closest to Pride Of Jenni in the run. 'We are drawn out wide, we are going to have to be making a decision there. 'We will probably be trying to put him in the race. 'We are expecting them to run along and be strung out, that may help offset the draw as well.'
Courier-Mail
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Courier-Mail
Eliyass aiming to turn a 20-length defeat into Doomben Cup success
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. How to turn a last-start 20-length defeat into a Group 1 triumph? It will be hard, but potentially not quite as hard as you might think. Eliyass, the French-bred import that Gai Waterhouse last year declared was her most talented stayer since 2013 Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente, was beaten so far in the Hollindale Stakes he would have needed binoculars to see the winner Antino. READ: 'No two-horse race': Gollan insists chances aplenty in Doomben Cup But when a post-race veterinary examination revealed that Eliyass was coughing, stewards ordered an endoscopic examination. Nothing significant was found and, after a track gallop at Doomben on Tuesday, co-trainer Adrian Bott gave him the all clear to take his place in Saturday's Group 1 Doomben Cup. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Bott has seen big form reversals due to track conditions before and said the Hollindale was a total forget run, with Eliyass not enjoying the heavy conditions and kickback on the day. 'I think in situations where you get those kind of conditions like we saw on the Gold Coast, you do have to be very forgiving,' Bott said. 'He was getting a lot of kickback, racing in among the pack, stuff was coming back at him. 'It wasn't an ideal spot for him to be in, we will just put what happened first-up down to the track. 'I have seen big form reversals before and all we can go on is what the horse has been showing us since. 'He worked well on Tuesday morning and all is in order. 'It is probably not ideal in that it would be better for the horse to have taken some confidence from his last run. 'But the horse hasn't taken any harm from the run.' READ: Heathcote poised to spring upset with luckless $2.3m earner Eliyass will take his place in Saturday's Doomben Cup Picture: Getty Images Bookmakers are certainly being forgiving and have high respect for Eliyass which is rated a $9 chance in the Doomben Cup where he will take on fancied pair Pride Of Jenni and Antino which sit atop of betting. READ: TAB's strategic move throws early markets into a frenzy Eliyass went on a terrific winning run when he kicked off racing Down Under last year before he tired at the end of his spring campaign and did not fire in his last two runs, including in the Group 1 Champions Stakes at Flemington in November. He has drawn the widest barrier (13) in the Doomben Cup and jockey Tim Clark will have a pivotal decision to make after the gates open. Bott expects him to be in the first few as Pride Of Jenni scoots away with her freewheeling style. 'Eliyass is a horse who can generally be ridden handy to the speed anyway,' Bott said. 'Potentially, he could be one of the closest to Pride Of Jenni in the run. 'We are drawn out wide, we are going to have to be making a decision there. 'We will probably be trying to put him in the race. 'We are expecting them to run along and be strung out, that may help offset the draw as well.' Originally published as Co-trainer Adrian Bott is hopeful Eliyass can turn around a massive last-start defeat in Saturday's Doomben Cup
News.com.au
08-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Gai Waterhouse's most talented stayer since Fiorente ‘vulnerable' in Hollindale Stakes return
Gai Waterhouse has already declared Eliyass to be the most talented stayer she has trained since 2013 Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente. Now the French-bred import is being unleashed on the Queensland winter carnival, as a springboard to potential Caulfield and Melbourne Cup tilts in spring. Eliyass went on a stunning winning romp when he kicked off racing Down Under last year before he tired at the end of his spring campaign and did not fire in his last two runs, including in the Group 1 Champions Stakes at Flemington in November. After being given a long break and missing the autumn carnival, Eliyass will resume in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) on the Gold Coast on Saturday before having bigger fish to fry in the Group 1 Doomben Cup a fortnight later. Waterhouse and co-trainer Adrian Bott are well aware the winter carnival has in recent years been a fabulous springboard for spring carnival success. 'He made great progression for us early, but the goalposts changed a bit with him at the back end of the (spring) carnival,' Bott said. 'From the progression he was making relatively quickly, his form tapered off and he had come to the end of it. 'So we gave him a good break and one of the main reasons we skipped autumn is that we went one or two more runs deeper into the (spring) campaign than originally planned. 'There are some nice races for him in Queensland and this carnival is also proven as a spring springboard. 'I see him as a horse who has got Melbourne Cup potential, I am sure he could see out the trip. 'We will learn more through Queensland and again through the early part of the spring. 'We will use Queensland as a good guide before locking in what his spring targets are.' Eliyass is a $7.50 chance in betting for the Hollindale, but his prospects on the Gold Coast come with a word of warning from Bott. 'He has had a good break and only had the two trials going into Saturday, he is vulnerable there first-up, he is certainly not fully wound up for Saturday's race by any means,' Bott said. 'He will improve a good amount off Saturday.' Waterhouse and Bott will also unleash three-year-old colt Wanaruah in the Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) where he is a $5 chance. Wanaruah was well beaten in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas last spring but the stable has a high opinion of him. They may even try to qualify him for having a lightweight tilt at the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap next month. There is a question mark over Saturday's assignment given 1200m is short of his sweet spot. 'He is nice and forward, he is there to try and win, but he has had a while off the scene maybe 1200(m) might be short of his best,' Bott said. 'That would be the only hesitation, but we have given him plenty of work at home and he seems ready to go. 'The 1400(m) to 1600(m) range is very good for him. 'Whether he can develop into a Stradbroke horse, we will have to wait and see.'
